On the occasion of the 10 years since Marcel Marceau left us World Mime Organisation has decided to say THANK YOU to those who enriched our art, our profession and our lives through mime in the past century and are still with us, working, inspiring, teaching, sharing... Usually we give 1-5 awards per year, but on this occasion we will double this number in the next few weeks.

We are honored to officially inform you that the World Mime Organisation has decided to present the “Special WMO Award for the outstanding contribution to the art of mime” to three mime artists and professor who still share their art and knowledge with us:

Mr.Andrés Valdés of the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Mrs.EllaJaroszewicz of the Ecoleinternationale de théâtrecorporel Studio Magenia in Paris, France

Mr.YoramBoker of the Tel Aviv University. Israel

EXPLANATION OF THE DECISION for Mr. Andrés Valdés

“The World Mime Organisation has decided to present the “Special WMO Award for the outstanding contribution to the art of mime” to the mime artist and educator Andrés Valdés.

Born and educated in Havana, Cuba, honed in Paris, France, flourished in Yugoslavia and matured in Slovenia, Andrés Valdéshas traveled the distance both geographically and artistically and brought together cultures, dreams and body movements across space and time.

He has introduced an almost unknown art form to the people, the audience and the professionals of an entire European region where he performed, directed and taught generations of young artists, actors and dancers and his artistic influence and human spirit will be felt by generations to come.”

EXPLANATION OF THE DECISION for prof. Ella Jaroszewicz

“The World Mime Organisation has decided to present the “Special WMO Award for the outstanding contribution to the art of mime” to professor Ella Jaroszewicz of the Ecoleinternationale de théâtrecorporel Studio Magenia.

She created her own body movement, style and school evolving from dance and mime, Tomaszewski and Marceau but keeping her creative originality.

Ella creates and teaches with rigor of the Eastern and freedom of expression of the Western Europe.

She is still influencing and inspiring young mime artists, dancers and actors as well as theatre across Europe and the world where her students are working and creating.”

Just like the name of her school “Magenia” or “marzenie” in Polish which means “Dream”, her dream never ends.”

EXPLANATION OF THE DECISION for prof. YoramBoker

““The World Mime Organization has decided to present the “Special WMO Award for the outstanding contribution to the art of mime” to Prof. YoramBoker of the Tel Aviv University.

Professor YoramBoker was taught by the best, Marcel Marceau, Jacques Lecoq, Claude Kipnis and his untamed spirit led him to develope his own style of performing and teaching. His career as a professor flourished at the Tel Aviv University where he was teaching and inspiring young actors, mime artists.

His artistic path was like a carousel spinning between mime, masks and empty space filled with imagination and emotions. He taught his partners, students and the audience to ware masks, play with them but also to be brave and take them off.

We want to assure prof. YoramBoker that the art of mime did not die with Marcel Marceau, as he expressed his fearful thoughts in one interview, but thanks to him, his students, his colleagues and the World Mime Organisation will keep living, evolving and searching for its place in new reality and new imagination inspired by artists like himself.”

About the Special WMO Award

Since 2015 we have established the “Special WMO Award for the outstanding contribution to the art of mime” as a way to say thank you and not to forget people that have given so much to the art of mime and fellow mime artists.

"Special WMO Award for the outstanding contribution to the art of mime" is awarded to a person and in 2015 it was awarded to Mr.AmiranShalikashvili (Georgia), in 2016/17 to Prof.StanislawBrosowski (Sweden).